Information for Faculty and Advisors

Special Program Options

IPSL offers a variety of special program options that allow students to combine programs or choose a special option within a program to enhance their service-learning experience.

Having a longer experience
Students may enhance their intercultural and service experience by extending their program. Many of the programs allow students to combine periods of time— two semesters, or a summer and a semester. When they stay for more than one term, their service can remain the same or they may choose to experience the society/culture from an additional perspective by serving in a different agency for their second term. Academic requirements and electives are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Combining program locations
Students interested in serving & learning abroad for an academic year are encouraged to choose two different program locations for a broader, comparative perspective. A small discount may be possible; contact IPSL. Several past students have participated in two or three different IPSL programs in consecutive terms. Some suggested combinations are:

Ecuador — Study Spanish and learn about different aspects of Ecuadorian culture by combing terms in Guayaquil (on the coast), Quito (the historic capital in the Andes), and/or the Galapagos Islands.

Mexico & Ecuador — Study Spanish and learn about Latin America from two unique perspectives.

Europe — Spend a term in Western Europe (England, Scotland or Italy) and a term in Central/Eastern Europe (Czech Republic or Russia).

Asia — Combine terms in India, Thailand and/or the Philippines.
Special areas of study
In addition to cultural studies and intensive language study in many locations, a few IPSL programs offer special areas of study:

Biology/Ecology in Galapagos, Ecuador — In addition to a social science focus, this program offers a focus for students of the life sciences to pursue in-depth study of evolution, ecology, and conservation in this unique natural environment.

Native American / American Indian Studies with the Lakota Nation, USA — This program offers studies of the American Indians of the Great Plains, combined with living and serving on a Lakota/Dakota reservation, resulting in real cultural understanding of this complex "nation within a nation."

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